Try Before You Fly: How Dreamliner Pilots Train Without Lifting Off

It's been more than four years since Boeing unveiled the 787 Dreamliner. In that time, the company has achieved as many setbacks as milestones. But after spending billions building the plane and racking up billions in orders, the company delivers its first composite airliner to a customer today.

But long before today's handover to All Nippon Airways, Boeing started training the pilots who will fly the company's most advanced airliner ever. Much has been made of the 787's advanced technology — its composite airframe, the fuel-efficient engines, even the windows dimmed at the touch of a button. But Boeing has put just as much thought into the technology used to train the pilots.

We recently visited Boeing's flight training center south of Seattle to see what it takes to become a 787 pilot. We couldn't spare the time needed for a proper training session, so we settled for a two-hour overview of a program that can take as long as three weeks.

Anyone who's flown a Boeing 777 can get up to speed with the 787 in as few as five days as the two airplanes share a type rating for pilots. A pilot with no experience in a Boeing airplane will need as long as 22 days to receive a type rating and master the 787.

No matter their experience level, none of them will actually fly a 787 during training. It's all done electronically. There are no books to study, airframes to inspect or airplanes to fly. From learning about the airplane's hydraulic system to making a virtual walk around pre-flight inspection to even learning how to take off, pilots learn everything needed for their type rating without ever even seeing a real 787.

At one of the 787 training centers it all happens inside a nondescript office building south of Seattle. This is where pilots learn the difference between traditional airplanes that use bleed air to power systems and the 787 that uses generators. They work through checklists and practicing landing the Dreamliner in a severe crosswind, in the clouds, and with an engine out.

But even before they learn how to fly a 787, they learn what the cockpit is like. And they do that sitting in an office cubicle.

Above photo: Boeing, All other photos: Jason Paur/Wired.com

The computer-based training is the first step in the transition to flying the 787. The system, set up in an ordinary office cubicle, provides a full-size basic layout of the cockpit, including pictures printed on paper of the center console and overhead pane, to help pilots familiarize themselves with the vast array of buttons, switches and instruments.

Pilots sit through several lessons simply learning what information is displayed on the heads-up display and learning about other vital cockpit tools.

The pilots sit in their traditional locations in the cockpit — the captain on the left, first officer on the right — so they immediately begin working together, practicing the procedures and mastering the cockpit flow that allows them to work together seamlessly.

Boeing asked its customers what they wanted in the 787, and then asked them what they wanted in the training program pilots would follow. One thing it heard repeatedly was a request to provide greater choice and flexibility in training programs. So Boeing borrowed a concept from the airlines and created a system similar to a frequent flier program.

"Every time you buy a 787 airplane you get points," says Roei Ganzarski, chief customer officer for Boeing Training & Flight Services. "And with those points you can go online and choose any 787 training we have."

Boeing believes this will allow airlines to tailor training to their specific needs. There are 787 training centers in Seattle, London, Singapore, Tokyo and Shanghai, with more on the way. Customers are given a certain number of points with each 787 purchase. They can use some of their points for a shorter transition course for a 777 pilot, or they can use most of them for a pilot who is new to the airlines. If there are extra points left over they can be used later for the recurrent training pilots go through every six months, or special training such as polar flight.

Not all training is limited to the cockpit. Anyone who has been through an airport has probably seen pilots walking around airplanes making a pre-flight inspection. Pilots rely on the maintenance crew to do most of the work, but one of the two pilots will personally inspect everything that can be seen from the ground.

Part of the computer-based training includes a virtual walk-around similar to what you might experience in a video game. The pilot will approach the plane and make the same inspection he'd perform in the real world, using the same checklist used during routine flights.

This photo shows the inspection of the front landing gear. Pilots must identify various parts of the landing gear, inspect them and check them off the list. When a more detailed view is needed, embedded photos supplement the image.

After spending as long as 12 days at the computer-based training workstation learning all of the systems, flows and inspections of a 787, pilots transition into learning how to fly the plane.

The 787 flight training device provides an accurate representation of the actual flight deck, complete with a control yoke, power levers, glass panel displays and some of the switches and buttons — mostly those used to operate the autopilot.

Other switches have been upgraded from the printed photos used in earlier training to touchscreen glass displays that allow pilots to receive feedback confirming whether or not they have correctly flips the right switches.

Unlike the static computer-based training, this simulator can be flown. Although it "flies" just like the real thing, the point is not to recreate the actual sensation of flight. The goal is to build upon what was learned in computer-based training by using it in a flight-like environment.

Another focal point in developing the 787 training program was using common software in all of the training devices. This makes it far easier to update everything. In the past, something so simple as updating the software in the various training devices meant pilots may discover information learned on a computer-based training system varied from what they had to know flying the full-motion simulator.

"We wanted all suites of training on a common platform," Ganzarski says. "Once we make an update to one tool, all tools will be updated."

The fixed-based trainer mimics the four main glass-panel displays found in the 787, as well as the aircraft's heads-up display and electronic flight on the pilot's left.

There are two reasons training is done in a virtual environment. The first is cost. Boeing could train pilots by putting them in a 787. Pilots could power up the airplane, learn where all the buttons and switches are located and learn how to operate the airplane. And those same pilots could take to the air with instructors to learn how to fly in and out of real airports.

But that would, of course, be absurdly expensive. More importantly, it would not allow pilots to simulate the countless emergencies they must prepare for.

Simulators were developed to provide a safer and more cost-effective means of learning to fly new aircraft. But the full-motion simulators themselves cost more than $10 million to purchase and can be billed at a rate of more than $1,000 per hour.

This is why pilots learn the basics on a PC in what amounts to a really cool office cubicle. It allows them to master essential skills without racking up big bills in a full-motion simulator.

The final stage of training occurs in a motion based simulator that precisely replicates the 787 cockpit and the experience of actually flying the plane.

The full flight sim, known as a "Level D" flight training device, can recreate any weather condition from blue skies to blowing snow, day or night, along with any type of mechanical failure or aerodynamic situation to challenge pilots. It sits atop six hydraulic arms that can move the cockpit in roll, pitch and yaw. To recreate the sensation of acceleration, whether during take off, in a turn or in an unusual attitude situation, the simulator uses acceleration onset cueing to fool the brain into believing you're actually flying.

To do this, the hydraulic arms move the device with the same initial acceleration as would be experienced in the real aircraft. The brain registers the acceleration felt and combines it with the visual clues of motion represented on the screen inside the simulator. As the pilot performs a turn or some other maneuver, the visual clues continue to feed the brain the information that the airplane is moving in accordance to the initial acceleration, though the device itself may be resetting at a rate below what is perceptible to the brain.

Inside the simulator — shown above on pause on final heading into Boeing Field for runway 13R — pilots work with an exact replica of the 787 cockpit. Everything they touch is exactly what they'll touch in the real airplane.

Each pilot has a heads-up display as well as the four main glass-panel displays. A fifth glass panel sits at the front of the center console. The computer screens at the bottom of the image are used by the instructor to manipulate all aspects of the training flight.

From the runway at Boeing Field south of downtown Seattle, you can see Mt. Rainier in the distance as you accelerate down runway 13R. In a nod to its real-world test facility located at the airport, the very first 787, airframe ZA001, can be seen in its usual spot outside Boeing's flight test department.

By the time a pilot is sitting in the left seat of the full-motion simulator, everything about the 787 is almost second nature. Now they're learning how to fly the plane and how to handle inclement weather and a long list of emergencies.

During our visit, Boeing let us make two flights in the 787. For the first, we would be hand-flying the entire time. A glance at the electronic flight bag to the left shows our weight at 369,600 pounds, which according to the calculations gives us a rotation speed (~takeoff speed) of 135 knots.

During the takeoff pilots typically use three reference speeds, V1, Vr and V2. The first, V1, is the max speed at which the pilot must take the first action in order to stop the aircraft within a required distance. It also is the speed at which the pilot can continue the takeoff should he lose power in the critical engine. Vr is the speed at which the nose gear lifts off and is commonly referred to as the rotation speed. And V2 is the speed at which the airplane can safely become airborne with just one engine. On our flight the speeds were 132 knots, 135 knots and 146 knots respectively.

As we accelerated down the runway, the computer called out V1 at 132 knots. At 135 knots Capt. Garrigan said to gently pull back on the yoke and the airplane gently began to rotate. Moments later we were airborne.

From the moment the power levers were pushed forward, the whole experience felt just like the real thing.

The glass-panel displays in the 787 can be reconfigured by pilots to display a wide range of information. Pilots can start with simple checklists on a display or call up anything from the flight and navigation information to systems and engine data. The screens can also be split horizontally and vertically as seen above.

On the primary flight display at left is a typical layout, with basic flight information on the top screen — including the artificial horizon spanning the entire screen, with the airspeed tape on the left (indicating 143 knots) and the altitude tape on the right (indicating about 1,270 feet).

The vertical speed is to the right of the altitude and shows a descent of 650 feet per minute.

The PFD is split horizontally, with the compass and navigation information shown on the bottom of the screen.

The right hand screen -- the MFD -- is split vertically to show an enlarged version of the approach navigation along with engine settings and flap and trim indicators.

The same basic flight data displayed on the PFD also appears on both heads-up displays, or HUDs used by the pilot and co-pilot. The HUD allows pilots to gather vital flight information during critical phases of flight without looking down at their instruments.

We flew an instrument approach back into Boeing Field and the HUD greatly increases the situational awareness for the pilot by allowing constant visual contact with the runway along with the airspeed and altitude. A friendly voice also reads out the altitude in feet, "fifty, forty, thirty, twenty, ten" as you approach the runway. After holding a steady landing attitude the autothrottles reduced the power and we made a reasonable touchdown. After deploying the thrust reversers and applying the brakes, you feel the deceleration as the seat belt keeps you in place.

For the second flight Capt. Garrigan showed us a more advanced flight using all the technology aboard the 787.

To give a small taste of the challenges a pilot in training might face he dialed in a 45-knot crosswind from the west (200 degrees) and said there may be a mechanical failure of some sort in our future (we doubt the pilots get such a helpful warning).

To make it a bit easier and to demonstrate what the airplane is capable of, our job was to just monitor everything on landing. The autopilot would bring us to the final approach, and the airplane's autoland capabilities would be put to the test.

Everything was going great with the autopilot having no problem handling the extreme cross wind. About four miles from the runway we had an engine problem and Capt. Garrigan said to shut down the right engine. So with the flip of a switch on the center panel we were down to one engine. Now, in addition to the significant crab angle to counter the crosswind, the airplane was pulled further to the right by a dead engine creating a lot of drag.

The extreme angle meant the airport was nearly off the HUD screen (it's just to the right of the '143' on the left side of the display).

Despite losing an engine and the strong crosswind, the autoland system put the 787 gently down on runway, right on the center line, maybe even smoother than the first landing. Our only job was to apply the brakes to bring the airplane to a stop.

Real 787 pilots will train how to perform these maneuvers themselves in addition to using automated systems. And it would probably be at night, in a storm with some lightening thrown in for a bonus distraction. Most of the time spent in the full-motion simulator is spent coping with aircraft malfunctions or problems — and often multiple malfunctions and problems. Simply flying the airplane straight and level in nice weather doesn't take long for the experienced pilots to figure out.

By the end of their training, 787 pilots will have spent several several four-hour sessions inside the full-motion simulator. All of the data, audio and video is recorded for use during debriefing sessions.

Depending on where they will be flying, pilots receive the appropriate type certificate for the Boeing 787 and are then licensed to fly it. As is the case with most modern airliners, a pilot's first flight in a 787 will most likely occur with passengers aboard. Don't panic, though — they'll be making the flight with an experienced instructor pilot with them.

All Nippon Airways had several pilots flying in a 787 used for flight testing, allowing them to accumulate real-world experience they can pass on to other pilots before the airline begins carrying passengers aboard Dreamliners next month.

Here’s The Thing With Ad Blockers

We get it: Ads aren’t what you’re here for. But ads help us keep the lights on. So, add us to your ad blocker’s whitelist or pay $1 per week for an ad-free version of WIRED. Either way, you are supporting our journalism. We’d really appreciate it.